STUDY OF THE ADAPTABILITY AND GROWTH OF ARMENIAN FRUIT TREE CULTIVARS IN THAILAND

Abstract

Under the framework of Governmental relations between the Kingdom of Thailand and the Republic of Armenia, different cultivars of plum, peach, apricot, pomegranate, mulberry, fig, quince, walnut, hazelnut, sweet cherry and grape plantings were sent to Thailand from Armenia in 2006-2007. They were planted in the Armenian Garden which was established at Chiang Mai Royal Agriculture Research Center, Chiang Mai Province, in order to commemorate the auspicious celebrations of the 60th Anniversary of Accession to the Throne in 2006 and the 80th Birthday anniversary in 2007 of H.M. King Bhumibol Aduljadej of Thailand. The studies provided in 2011 and 2012 have shown that all plant cultivars have quite lush growth and had already formed a structure typical for various cultivars. The black plum has an average girth of the tree trunk at 15 cm of 6.22 cm and the height is 95 cm, meanwhile the plum cultivar ‘Victoria’ has the corresponding figures of 6.29 and 105 cm, respectively; similarly, growth of pomegranate ‘Gyulosha’ cultivar is 10.95 and 145 cm, respectively and this cultivar has already given its first fruits. The ‘Yerevani’ cultivar of apricot has an average growth of 15.77 and 177 cm (wild apricot has 15.7 and 147 cm), meanwhile the ‘Arinji’ cultivar has 7.7 and 127 cm, respectively. The vegetative growth of peach cultivars is quite varied; the girths are 7.26-12.27 cm with 64-109 cm tree height. Quince trees have the highest average growth at 9.0-9.4 and 201-216 cm; slow growths of walnut, sweet cherry and hazelnut are also recorded. The results have shown that in the Armenian Garden, grape, pomegranate and apricot, particularly the ‘Yerevani’ cultivar, have much better adaptability, growth and potential for future distribution. Most grape cultivars gave the first yields in the second year, pomegranate gave their first yields in the second year of growing and the apricot ‘Arinji’ cultivar has first flowered and set fruit this year.